The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife is informing recreational saltwater anglers and commercial fishermen of recent regulatory changes for river herring and tautog fisheries. The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council approved these measures at their January 5, 2012, meeting and DEP Commissioner Martin recently signed these changes into effect. This action were taken to comply with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) management plan for tautog.

Effective immediately, the new minimum size limit for tautog (blackfish) is now 15 inches, both commercially and recreationally.The new recreational seasons and possession limits for tautog are as follows:

The coastwide tautog resource is currently overfished and the spawning stock biomass (the weight of mature females in the stock) has remained at low levels despite previous efforts to help rebuild the coastwide resource. ASMFC’s Addendum VI to the tautog fishery management plan required a 53 percent reduction in coastwide harvest to promote the rebuilding of the coastwide tautog resource. The new tautog regulation changes were necessary to comply with the ASMFC-required harvest reduction.

Please visit the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife website or consult the Marine Digest for any future regulation changes.